"When an urgent problem arises at work, I always try to respond in a calm and assuring manner. I am a natural leader, so my team often looks to me for answers. One instance of my fast thinking was just last week when we had an administrative employee no-show on a crucial and busy day for us. I called a temp agency, and they filled the position in just one hour."

"I react swiftly in emergency situations. Perhaps my skills come from my years as a parent, having to think fast and put out fires! If a quick solution is required, I will do a fast overview of the facts and decide based on risk factors."

Demonstrate confidence and an ability to react when the need arises. Problems that require you to act quickly can be emergency situations, such as knowing where the fire extinguisher is and grabbing it fast enough to put out a small grease fire in the company kitchen. Another example is if you're asked to take on additional responsibilities and are only given five minutes to decide if it's something you are prepared to take on.

With complex problem solving, every situation might require a different approach. It takes practice, experience, confidence, and keeping calm under pressure to evaluate the wisest course. Sometimes a good plan today is better than a better plan tomorrow. Sometimes not.